Forget Smart Cars, Volts, and Insights, car-free is even better

Hybrid electric cars may be more energy efficient than their combustion engine cousins, but what about not using a car at all?

In continents other than North America, a trend is beginning that’s pulling the focus away from building cars. Places like Buenos Aires, Copenhagen and entire islands off the coast of France have gone partially or totally car-free. Oh, and don’t forget Venice.

The movement hasn’t taken off quite the same way in the U.S. Many cities have small car-free sections in their downtowns, but not enough to provide the true experience.

To its credit, San Francisco recently announced plans to turn streets into pedestrian plazas through a new “Pavement to parks” program.

While some more progressive cities have taken on their own initiatives, groups such as the World Carfree Network are attempting to create momentum so more of the world can function without the burden of cars.

Along with providing information to city planners, the Carfree Network has resources for individuals interested in cutting ties with cars. For example, the Autoholics Anonymous’ 12-step program gives car owners a clear path toward ditching the four-wheel lifestyle.

Wikipedia has a laundry list of the car-free places around the globe.

Carfree Cities does a fair job of explaining why this movement has become so active in recent years.

“The industrialized nations made a terrible mistake when they turned to the automobile as an instrument of improved urban mobility,” the group’s site says. “The car brought with it major unanticipated consequences for urban life and has become a serious cause of environmental, social, and aesthetic problems in cities.”

The challenge, of course, is to take away cars while still giving people a viable way to move around town.

The more U.S. cities that can prove this is possible the better. There’s no way a mid-sized city is going to turn key thoroughfares into walkways unless New York, Chicago and Los Angeles can do so first.